Cookham Dig reopening: engagement workshop gets community involved

The Cookham Dig hosted an engagement event for people of different faiths last weekend, as it prepares to reopen for the summer season.

A collaborative session from Friends of Cookham Abbey and the University of Reading saw more than 30 people get insight into the archaeology and provide feedback on its significance.

The dig will reopen in Paddock Field, Cookham, from August 5-27 this summer, and organisers want the excavation of the sacred site of the Abbey to engage people of all faiths and backgrounds in the area.

Representatives from Sikh, Hindu, Muslim, Jewish and Christian religions enjoyed informative talks and offered feedback on their own views on uncovering sacred sites, which exist along the length of the River Thames.

Deputy Mayor Mandy Brar said: “It was really a well-attended very informative session, and everyone enjoyed it and are looking forward to attending the dig in August.”

The afternoon included talks from Councillor Brar, Chairman of Maidenhead Archaeological and Historical Society Paul Seddon, lead archaeologist on the project Gabor Thomas, and artist in residence at the dig Phyllida Shelley.

Paul Seddon, Friends of Cookham Abbey Trustee, said: “I was delighted with the event, it was a very optimistic mood, and everybody was interested to discuss what the Cookham Abbey heritage means to them.

“We don’t want to do archaeology in a vacuum, because the narrative belongs to the whole community, and we want people to be able to understand what we’ve found and to take what they want from it.”

The speakers gave an overview of the historical significance of the project, the link between religious sites and water, and the benefits that the archaeology project can bring to communities in and around Cookham.

The event was hosted at Salt Hill VR, a virtual reality gaming arcade in Slough, and attendees had the chance to explore the site through VR technology after the session.

The dig, which began in 2021, has uncovered a rare eighth century Anglo-Saxon monastery on the bank of the Thames.

Already, archaeologists have discovered streets and roads, signs of domestic habitation, infrastructure like wells, timber impressions of buildings, and a large burial site.

The team leading the excavation, from University of Reading, will welcome visits from the public and volunteers looking to get involved in the project this summer.

Paul encouraged people to attend the dig: “If you haven’t been on an archaeological site before, you’ll find it fascinating to see how it operates and how we get the results we get starting from a field of grass.

“If you have been to archaeological site, I’d say this is one of the best, so come along.”

More information can be found at cookhamabbey.org.uk or on Facebook.